K9 units

The K-9 Units are an integral part of police response. The Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit includes 8 handler and dog teams. Many of our K-9 teams are cross-trained to perform both generalist and narcotics detection functions. In addition to performing drug searches, they also can provide backup to deputies, locate suspects and victims, and find evidence at or near crime scenes.

Generalist Police Dogs

Generalist police dog handlers and their partners attend a 12-week (480-hour) training course. During the course, the dog and handler learn to work together through basic obedience and agility. The dog is taught to locate and track human scent, search areas and buildings for suspects, evidence, and how to protect their handler. The handler learns to read and interpret the dog's body language and the noises the dog makes when it has located something and is on a track.

Narcotics Police Dogs

Narcotics police dog handlers and their partners attend a training course where the dog is trained to recognize and alert the handler to the presence narcotics.

Explosives Detection Dogs

Explosives detection dogs and their handlers are part of our bomb unit.